Point of purchase display of prepackaged merchandise makes extensive use of perforated panelboard displays, in which the merchandise is suspended on removable display hooks. A wide variety of such display hooks is available. Typically, such hooks include a base member provided with rearwardly extending, upturned, L-shaped lugs arranged to be passed through an adjacent pair of apertures in the panelboard when the base member is in an upwardly tilted orientation. When the base member is pivoted downward flush with the panelboard, the device is locked in place by the L-shaped lugs. A merchandise supporting element, most typically in the form of an elongated wire or rod, extends outward from the base to provide means for suspending the display merchandise.
Most conventional panelboard display hooks are subject to the possibility of accidental dislodgment from the panelboard if accidentally tilted upward. In many cases, the problem is more theoretical then real. However, for certain types of display hooks, the possibility of accidental dislodgment is sufficiently great that special steps are taken to prevent or minimize such occurrences. Especially where the hooks are made entirely of plastic material, there is a great deal of resiliency in the outwardly projecting merchandise support element. As a result, not only is it possible to dislodge the hook by an accidental upward tilting, but also an accidental downward deflection of the support element may tend to cause upward pivoting of the device when the deflecting force is released. Accordingly, it is particularly desirable in a case of all plastic hook constructions to utilize means for retaining the device in its installed condition.
One advantageous prior proposal for this purpose is the subject of the David R. Thalenfeld U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,730, assigned to Trion Industries Inc. This patent discloses a display hook of all-plastic construction, which is provided with an integral, upwardly extending, flexible tongue positioned to overly the front face of the panelboard and to resiliently restrain upward pivoting action of the hook. In an alternative embodiment, illustrated in the same patent, a conventional metal display hook is provided with an auxiliary plastic attachment including an integral, upwardly extending, flexible tongue whose function is similar to the integral plastic tongue of the all-plastic version.
In the Thalenfeld U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,249, a two-part display hook, comprising a plastic base and a wire merchandise support is provided with an integral, flexible tongue, extending upward from the base member and adapted to overlie the front face of the panelboard. The illustrated construction requires the metal support element to be assembled after installation of the plastic base member. After such assembly, the metal merchandise support element serves to lock the plastic tongue against deflection.
In the Lucietto, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,452,954, a plastic base member is provided with a U-shaped wire locking element which, when retracted, enables installation and removal of the plastic base member in a normal fashion. After assembly, the U-shaped locking member is pushed upwardly, such that an upwardly extending portion thereof overlies the front face of the panelboard to prevent unintended removal of the display device.
In accordance with the present invention, a novel and improved display hook construction is provided, preferably for a hook of all-plastic construction, which incorporates improved and highly advantageous means for locking the display device in position on the panelboard to prevent accidental removal or dislodgment. The device of the invention includes a precision molded base member, provided in the usual fashion with rearwardly and upwardly projecting L-shaped mounting lugs. In addition, guide means are provided on both the front and back surfaces of the plastic base for the semi-removable reception of a locking key, which functions to secure the base member against upward tilting movement and thereby to prevent accidentally dislodgment. Significantly, the locking key is designed to be produced as a separate part by precision injection molding, which is maintained separate from the body member until after installation of the display device on a panel display. In this respect, it is an intended feature of the invention that the display device may, if desired, be used without the locking key wherever desired, and that the locking key be installed as and when desired by the merchandise manager.
Pursuant to a specific feature of the invention, the locking key is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending guide elements, which cooperate with vertical guide surfaces on the front and back of the base member. Certain of the guide elements are provided with means providing mutual locking engagement with the base member, when the locking key is assembled thereto. Such locking means allow the key to be removed only with a certain degree of difficulty, to inhibit removal by unauthorized person. Desirably, the base member and locking key are so designed as to accommodate the use of a small tool to free the locking key, when desired.
For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, and to the accompanying drawing.